Agriculture-related Businesses Research Articles

The Role of Beliefs, Pride, and Perceived Barriers in Decision-Making Regarding Purchasing Value-Added Pulse Products among US Consumers.

This study explores the underlying psychological structure of purchasing value-added pulse products. It expands the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model by incorporating an emotional factor and explains consumers’ attitudes and subsequent behavioral intentions in the context of value-added pulse products (VAPPs). The study results showed the significant effect of pride on the purchase intention of value-added pulse products, as well as the moderating effect of perceived barriers on some of the relationships among the variables. Although value-added pulse products are emerging as a means of income maximization in the agri-food industry, there is a lack of understanding about consumers who purchase these products. This study fills the gap by developing a research framework for agriculture-related businesses. The findings may provide further insights into consumers’ attitudes and behaviors in consuming agri-foods, thereby assisting pulse producers and marketers to develop a more effective marketing strategy.

An overview of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and implications for agricultural enterprise recovery from COVID-19

In this policy and practice brief, we analyze the U.S. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP provided loans to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some businesses received timely relief from the PPP loans, while some were not able to acquire assistance. Production agricul­ture received 617,128 PPP loans totaling $17 billion.[1] The reach of PPP loans across the country was broad. In 80% of U.S. zip codes, at least one farm received a PPP loan. The average size of the loan in agriculture ($27,744) was substantially smaller than the national average ($74,156). The authors conducted interviews with PPP recipients and present some findings from those. The most recent data reveal challenges and opportunities for agricultural businesses, depending on their scale of operations and regional disparities. Community organizations working with small agriculture-related businesses need to be aware of various impacts while providing future assistance.

Business valuation strategy for new hydroponic farm development – a proposal towards sustainable agriculture development in United Arab Emirates

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate a hydroponic farm (through nutrient film technique) while considering uncertainty, sustainability and the system's utility in the dominant desert geography. The idea of the hydroponic farm is to allow individuals/businesses to grow plants. Given the geographical condition, the hydroponic system may be useful in the Gulf context and may lead to food security and sustainability. Additionally, the UAE government has initiated several support schemes that can be availed for investing in such businesses that can contribute to the nation's food security.Design/methodology/approachThe hydroponic farm is evaluated using the net present value and real options approach. The authors studied five scenarios: 1. business as usual, 2. 50% subsidy on initial investment through Khalifa funding, 3. 4% premium, 4. Subsidy plus premium and 5. solar panel installation with bore well.FindingsAs per the assumptions and data usage, all the scenarios shows a positive net present value (NPV); Nevertheless, scenarios 4 and 5 report the significant highest net present and delay value.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has environmental, economic and social implications. Lower imports indirectly lead to lower carbon footprints. The local production of food ensures higher employability in the sector and increase in local consumption. Additionally, fresh food consumption is directly associated to good health.Practical implicationsSupportive policies such as subsidies through Khalifa funding may accelerate the expansion of such projects through domestic and foreign investments. One of the important takeaway from the study is to invest in the training of the workforce.Social implicationsGiven the geographical condition, the UAE usually depends on food imports. If the hydroponic farms become popular, the residents will have access to fresh vegetables and fruits. Higher engagement in agriculture activities also ensures a significant increase in agriculture-related businesses and higher employability.Originality/valueThe study adds novelty to the literature because the effect of Khalifa funding and investment analysis on solar (wells) has not been evaluated in any hydroponic studies. We presented the results with tornado graphs using NPV risk and real options approach in the Gulf context. The study represents functional scenarios that were previously not found in the literature.

Impact of Islamic Microfinance on Borrower’s Income in Pakistan- A Case Study of Akhuwat

Microfinance is a process of providing financial access in the form of micro-credits, and other services such as micro-insurance, savings, checking accounts and payment systems to the poor who do not have access to conventional banking. Lack of collateral and capital assets put limitations on the marginalized community to access the funds through the conventional banking system which leads to their financial exclusion. It is grasped that the objective of financial inclusion can be achieved at its full potential through redistributive instruments (Zakah, Awqaf, Qard al-hassan) of the Islamic microfinance industry. Pakistan Microfinance Review (2017) revealed that Akhuwat (A leading Islamic microfinance organization based on voluntarism and philanthropy) had maintained its outreach top spot in terms of Active Borrowers (820,000) during the year 2017. This study is conducted to analyze microfinance services provided by Akhuwat and its effects on borrowers’ income and consumption. The study adopted the qualitative research designed by applying questionnaires and interviewing techniques to collect data. The study finds that there was a reasonable increase in the income and consumption of the borrowers. Results indicate an average increase of 18 % in rural borrowers’ income and an average increase of 23% in urban borrowers’ income. The study recommends that vocational training should be provided to people in rural areas to enable them to engage in diverse business activities instead of solely relying on agriculture-related business.

Proposing a Paradigm Shift in Rural Electrification Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa through Agriculture

Almost one billion people in the world still do not have access to electricity. Most of them live in rural areas of the developing world. Access to electricity in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa is only 28%, roughly 600 million people. The financing of rural electrification is challenging and, in order to accomplish higher private sector investments, new innovative business models have to be developed. In this paper, a new approach in the financing of microgrid electrification activities is proposed and investigated. In this approach, agriculture related businesses take the lead in the electrification activities of the surrounding communities. It is shown that the high cost of rural electrification can be met through the increased value of locally produced products, and cross-subsidization can take place in order to decrease the cost of household electrification. The approach is implemented in a case study in Rwanda, through which the possibility of local agricultural cooperatives leading electrification activities is demonstrated.

Social entrepreneurship and social business associated with multiple functions of urban agriculture in Japan

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships among social entrepreneurship, social business (SB) and multiple functions of urban agriculture in Japan, by introducing the methodologies of SEM (structural equation modeling) and TEM (trajectory equifinality model). Following conclusions are obtained based on the analytical results. First, people who are thinking creatively (TC) with a high level of social capital pay attention to social business and prefer multiple functions of urban agriculture not only in megacities but also in designated cities. These people are assumed to have a high level of social entrepreneurship as well. Second, social business develops through the virtuous cycle of social institutions, social entrepreneurship and social business. Among the social institutions, social capitals are important both in the beginning of SB establishment and in the processes of business development. Policy implication drawn from the research suggests that the government should provide opportunities to create a virtuous cycle between social institutions, social entrepreneurship and social business, especially to improve the accumulation of social capital, in order to attract the TCs who have a high level of social entrepreneurship and solve the problems through social business such as agriculture-related businesses.

Social Capital, Entrepreneurial Environment and Peasants’ Entrepreneurial Performance in Agriculture-related Businesses

Peasants’ entrepreneurship in agriculture-related businesses is not only their responses to the policy environment of mass entrepreneurship, but also an important way to improve industrial structure in rural areas and increase peasants’ income. This paper divides the social capital of peasants into two types, namely homogeneous social capital and heterogeneous social capital, and analyzes the mechanism of social capital affecting peasants’ entrepreneurial performance in agriculture-related businesses from the perspectives of the willingness & ability of providing entrepreneurial resources and incentives & supervision. Then, based on 745 microscopic samples of peasant entrepreneurs, this paper analyzes the impact of social capital of peasants on peasants’ entrepreneurial performance in agriculture-related businesses in different environment restrictions. It comes to the following conclusions: firstly, social capital of peasants can significantly raise the availability of entrepreneurial resources and is an important factor affecting peasants’ entrepreneurial performance in agriculture-related businesses; secondly, owing to different ability of providing entrepreneurial resources and strength of incentives and supervison, heterogeneous social capital has greater effect on peasants’ entrepreneurial performance in agriculture-related businesses than homogeneous social capital; thirdly, in the entrepreneurial environment with strong constraints, the role of social capital in peasants’ entrepreneurship in agriculture-related businesses is more important. It means that the general dependence of peasants’ entrepreneurship in agriculture-related businesses on social capital may be the responses to worse entrepreneurial environment in rural areas, and currently peasants can make full use of social capital according to the features of different types of social capital to increase their entrepreneurial performance in agriculture-related businesses, but in the long run, the increase in peasants’ entrepreneurial performance in agriculture-related businesses requires governments to perfect rural entrepreneurial services system and optimize rural entrepreneurial environment.

La diversité des sources de revenus des exploitations agricoles dans le contexte du développement multifonctionnel des régions agricoles en Pologne

The article presents the results of the spatial analysis of Polish private agricultural holdings with agriculture-related business activity. The studies involved 1.8 million agricultural holdings categorised into three groups by the dominant source of income (constituting over 50% of all the incomes of the holding), i.e.: incomes from agriculture-related activity; incomes from work in non-agricultural sector (hired work or connected with non-agricultural business activity); and incomes from old-age pensions, disability pensions or other unearned incomes. These percentages were analysed individually or in form of composite index and they were characterised by significant differences in the spatial distribution, which was due to the impact of several conditions – particularly: historical and agrarian determinants, as well as the absorption level of the CAP funds. It emerged that the natural conditions do not wield any remarkable influence on the incomes recorded in agricultural holdings in Poland, which derives from the fact that in the areas with less favourable natural conditions animal production is better-developed and members of an agricultural holding are engaged in more non-agricultural professional activities.The analysis showed a non-negligible diversification in the income structure of agricultural holdings in Poland. What can prove the progressing multi-functional development of agricultural holdings is a low rank of farms where incomes are generated mostly by agriculture-related activities, which is particularly conspicuous upon comparison with the percentage of agricultural holdings with incomes from work in non-agricultural sectors. An increase was also observed in the share of agricultural holdings with incomes made up of old-age pensions, disability pensions and other unearned incomes. It points to the ongoing process of ageing in rural population, which requires setting and meeting new objectives in the domain of social policy, especially with regard to provision of care for the elderly.

Partnering, poverty reduction and rural enterprise advancement

NEPAD\'s (New Economic Partnership for African Development) overall vision for agriculture seeks to maximize the contribution of Africa\'s largest economic sector to achieve self-reliant and productive economies. In essence, NEPAD aims for agriculture to deliver broad based economic advancement, to which other economic sectors, such as manufacturing, petroleum, minerals and tourism, may also contribute in significant ways, but not at the same level as agriculture. Agriculture has been identified as the vehicle through which Africa will have to alleviate its poverty, hunger and food insecurity problems. Given this scenario, the University of Fort Hare (UFH) has, through its establishment of the Rural Enterprise Advancement Programme (REAP) and its implementation through the Nguni Cattle Project and the Agri-Park Business Training Programme, restructured its agricultural research, training and community partnering activities and established a strong partnering relationship with NEPAD Council. The main focus of REAP, as advancement programme, is to actively and constructively contribute to: i) Cost effective harnessing of the best available expertise and knowledge; ii) fulfilling all its functions optimally through the creation and fostering of purposeful and effective dynamic relationships or linkages – both of strategic and operational value; iii) organically growing, developing and replicating rural enterprises in other areas at the best possible costs; and iv) building a frame of reference for purposeful agricultural and agriculture related business and social growth research, training and community partnering programmes. Agricultural extension has now (through the design and implementation of REAP) started with new strategies to create opportunities for greater participation in agriculture as well as greater sustainable wealth creation opportunities for small-scale farmers. South African Journal of Agricultural Extension Vol. 35 (2) 2006: pp. 258-277

Geology of Greater Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas, United States of America

Metropolitan Kansas City, straddling the Missouri-Kansas state line, has experienced rapid growth in recent decades. Settled in the early 1800's, to serve as the starting point for many of the famous western trails, Kansas City still serves as the major center for marketing and distribution of farm products and agriculture-related businesses. Endowed with favorable geology, Kansas City has abundant supply of good quality limestone and other construction materials to sustain its growth through the years ahead and into the next century. Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks crop out in the area imparting it an aesthetically-pleasing hills and valley configuration. Desirable engineering properties of limestone and favorable geologic structure have aided in extensive development of underground space in the area. With 1.8 million m2 of developed space, Kansas City has the distinction of being the world leader in human use and occupancy of underground space. A detailed discussion of the history of underground space development, associated problems, and future prospects is presented in the paper. Geologic constraints of concern in the area include flooding, ground subsidence, expansive rocks and soils, mass movements and radon gas hazards. Completion of major dams and other flood protection works on the Missouri and Kansas rivers have nearly eliminated the flooding on the main rivers but the problems associated with flash floods have become very severe. Political factors have been a major obstacle in developing a master plan for flood control. However, recently a cooperative approach, involving more than 40 governments, administering the numerous towns in the metropolitan area, has been formulated and will very likely be adopted for implementation. The city has adequate water supply coming from the Missouri and Kansas rivers and the alluvial aquifers. Low-level contamination of the water supply had occurred in the past, but the problems were effectively remediated and no long-term pollution of the water supply system has since occurred. Instances of poor disposal practices of hazardous wastes are known; efforts are underway to clean up these sites. Numerous buildings and other structures have been completed in the area during the past 25 yrs. Kansas City now boasts of having the tallest building in the states of Missouri and Kansas—the One Kansas City Place stands at 183 m (600 ft), 4 m (13 ft) taller than the tallest building in St. Louis, One Bell Center. Many other ambitious construction projects are in various stages of development. A discussion of geotechnical characteristics of the foundation materials along with a list of major buildings in relation to site conditions and design features are included in the paper.

The Irrigation Revolutionand its environmental consequences

Irrigation has brought food production and economic benefits to arid regions, but there has been an environmental cost in the form of a lower water table, contaminated ground water, and corporate farming. Efficient center-pivot irrigation systems have replaced gravity irrigation and have opened up many new areas to irrigation and cultivation. Small towns have profited from agriculture-related business and investment. Center pivots are expected to be a major factor in Nebraska's agricultural output, for example, but land clearing for the center pivots has led to considerable erosion and has increased the rate of runoff contaminated with pesticides and fertilizers. Because sinking water tables threaten the existence of some rivers and wells, a number of studies are underway to see if irrigation needs to be limited. Competition for water resources has led to numerous lawsuits and new legislation. 19 references.

A weather service program for agriculture (United States)

A specialized weather service tailored to the needs of agriculture in nine areas of the United States is being provided by the Weather Bureau. The four-phase program of ( a) data collection, ( b) forecasting, ( c) research and ( d) communications is carried on by the Weather Bureau with the cooperation of agriculture-related business, agricultural experiment stations and the Agricultural Extension Service. The nine areas of the country involved in the specialized weather service program, shown in Fig. 1, are: (1) New Jersey. (2) An area including northern Virginia, northeastern West Virginia, western and central Maryland and south-central Pennsylvania. (3) South Carolina. (4) Tri-State area which includes southern Georgia, southeast Alabama and northwest Florida. (S) Mid-South which includes northern Mississippi, western Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana delta, and the bootheel of Missouri. (6) Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. (7) Western Lower Michigan. (8) Southern Idaho. (9) Oregon.